Weston Joseph Abshire

Funeral Mass for Weston Joseph Abshire, 90, of Leland will be at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 17 at St. James Catholic Church in Leland. After a period of illness, Weston was called to his eternal home and into the loving arms of Christ our Lord on January 13, 2018. Entombment will be in the Leland-Stoneville Cemetery under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Leland. 

Weston, known by his friends as Red, was born and raised in Kaplan, Louisiana, and graduated from Kaplan High School in 1945. He enlisted in the Army Air Force (AAF) on June 20, 1945, at the end of World War II. He reached the rank of Sargent and his duty was to operator a teletype and other telegraphic equipment to transmit and receive messages. He was honorably discharged on December 12, 1946. Weston returned home to farm with his father in Louisiana. 

He began his life’s career as a rice farmer in 1957, when he moved to the Mississippi Delta. With other families from Cajun country, he helped establish rice as a prominent crop, utilizing innovative methods to make it easier to farm rice and increase crop production. While continuing to farm, Red also owned and operated Volkswagen and Mazda dealerships in Greenville. Because of his work ethics, he was well respected and was an inspiration to his family and peers. Weston also opened a catfish restaurant (Cajun Catfish/DeCajun’s) between Greenville and Leland, serving catfish he raised in ponds beside the restaurant. He was well known for his Cajun cooking by friends and family. He was a lifelong baseball fan, having played semi-pro ball in his youth, and supported his Atlanta Braves through good seasons and rough seasons. He was a proud member of the American Legion, had been active with the Yacht Club in Greenville, and was a communicant of St. James Catholic Church in Leland. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, Sidney and Noela Abshire. He is survived by his loving wife Nancy; three daughters, Drusilla (Charlie) Fratesi of Leland, Donna (Rick) Kelley of Wasco, CA, and Doretta Abshire of McPherson, KS; one son, Tony (Bobbie Jo) Abshire of Lakeland, FL; one step-daughter, Cristy (Ernest) Stone of Lake Village, AR; and one step-son, Edward Jackson of Greenville, 8 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. 

There will be a visitation one hour prior to services at the church.